'Honest Abe' Speaks at Frankfort Public Library

Stovepipe hat atop his head, President Abraham Lincoln strode confidently toward the podium at the on Wednesday, nodding his bearded face kindly to applauding individuals in the assembled crowd.

For the next hour, the 16th president regaled his fans with humorous anecdotes and tall tales illustrating his opinions of the Civil War, religion, education, slavery, and the preservation of the Union.

Obviously, the lanky man in the black suit wasn’t the real president; it was historical dramatist R.J. Lindsey performing his program, An Evening With President Lincoln. Yet Lindsey's knowledge of Lincoln and the people and events of the past made it easy for the mostly adult crowd to suspend disbelief and travel back in time to the Civil War.

The “president” discussed his debates with Stephen A. Douglas, the Republican Convention of 1860, the firing on Fort Sumter and his handling of generals, secretaries and Confederate leaders. Sprinkled among the historical events were stories of his childhood and instructions on how to build a log cabin.

Judy Ferracudi, of Frankfort, said she enjoyed the presentation and learned a few things.

“I was surprised that Charles Darwin was born on the same day as Lincoln,” she said.

She brought along her daughter, Kristen, 12, and son, Matthew, 9, whom Ferracudi described as a “history buff.” Matthew posed several astute questions to “Lincoln” in the question-and-answer segment. He said his mom has helped him learn about the Civil War.

“My mom tells me, and then she got a movie about it,” Matthew said, adding he brought home some books about the Civil War from the library at Chelsea Elementary School, where he is in third grade.           

Dave and Joyce Pyntynia, of Orland Park, said they had seen Lindsey’s portrayal of Lincoln at a library program sometime ago and decided to attend the event in  Frankfort. The Pyntynias said they had visited the sites of al the major Civil War ballads.

“I’ve read at least 50 books (about the Civil War),” Dave Pyntynia said.

This year marks the 150th  anniversary of the beginning of the Civil War, and the Frankfort Public Library is commemorating the significance of the historical event. An Evening With President Lincoln was part of a series of educational and entertaining programming the includes Forever Free: Abraham Lincoln’s Journey to Emancipation, a traveling exhibit on display through June 6.

Two events are specifically for children. An Evening with President and Mrs. Abraham Lincoln at 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 11, is aimed at children in kindergarten through fifth grade. Max and Donna Daniels will portray the president and his wife.

Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad is a musical look back at Tubman’s life as a slave, her escape to Philadelphia and her work to free slaves through the Underground Railroad. The program is appropriate for children in fourth through eighth grade and is at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 24.